Not once has anyone in the otherwise quiet SDSU-area neighborhood griped that the rock ‘n’ roll pouring out of John Gunderson’s garage on Tuesday nights is too loud. But just like clockwork, over the past few years, the members of the band formerly known as Modern Rhythm (and that would eventually become The Shenanigans) have been meeting weekly and cranking up amplifiers in Gunderson’s garage studio for some bro-and-music time.
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“I think we probably emerged in 2012,” says Gunderson. “Jim McInnes (yes, that Jim McInnes) came on board immediately with Jack Pinney, and then we got Tom Meksto over here, and it was a good time. Other guys would sit in, too. Joe Longa, he would come over.”
The late keyboard player was drawn in by the friendship and by the obvious musicianship and by the band members’ deep knowledge of material. Collectively, the Shenanigans know countless old off-the-wall rockers, and they work hard to make them cook in their own way. Consider a typical Shenanigans’ set list that includes such venerable material as “Uranium Rock” and “Vasco” and “One Bad Stud” and “Kissin’ and a-Huggin’.”
“It’s not about playing any one song in a particular way,” John Gunderson explains during a break in rehearsal. “We do our own version of any song.”
“All we care about is how it feels.” Jack Pinney is the Shenanigans’ drummer. “If we want to leave part of the original version out, it’s gone.”
Gunderson, to an imaginary audience: “And now, we’re gonna play something that makes us feel good. Trust us.”
In the beginning, without any thought to playing out, the various members just showed up and plugged in and worked songs down to a place where they were tight. They got better and better every week. Finally, the band broke out last year and gigged at a dance at the Moose Lodge in Spring Valley. After that, it was onward to the House of Blues main stage, then gigs as regulars at the new Bolt Brewery in La Mesa.
Tom Meksto: “I remember the day when John said we sounded pretty good, and that maybe we should play out somewhere.”
The Shenanigans are in truth a local super group. Consider their individual pedigrees…
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